This is the transcript for the video Construction Management.
Catherine Killen (00:00):
Hi, I’m Catherine Killen. I’m the Head of School of the UTS School of Built Environment. Welcome to UTS. A degree from the UTS School of Built Environment will enable you to have a rewarding career and make a positive impact on society. Our courses prepare you for careers in planning, property development, property investment, project management, and construction. Our courses are internationally accredited. They’re taught by experts with experience and industry connections. We’re here to answer your questions about studying at UTS, and we hope to see you here.
Craig Barry (00:39):
Hi everyone. I’ll just start this with the Acknowledgment of Country. I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and upon whose ancestral lands our City campus now stands. I would also like to pay respect to the Elders, both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians for this land.
Craig Barry (01:02):
Okay. So the two courses were looking at is the Graduate Certificate of Construction Management and the Graduate Diploma. Now look in practice, the certificate is the first four subjects of the diploma. So, what some students have done is enrolled in the certificate, and then they progress into the diploma, or they can look at other study paths. But effectively the diploma comprises the eight subjects and the certificate is the first four.
Craig Barry (01:36):
So, course participants, it’s a fairly new course, it ran for the first time last year, and effectively was created for students that have the industry experience, but not necessarily acquired the qualifications that reflects their experience. And we’ve also seen a lot of students in other industries looking to transition into the construction industry. Now that has comprised builders that have been running their own business for 10, 15 years and looking to acquire qualifications because they don’t want to go work for the larger companies. Design students both architecture, interior design, they’re looking to transition. Or people that have been in the industry, not for as long, but are still looking to progress their career.
Craig Barry (02:29):
Now with my background, I come from a construction background, and the main objective of the certificate and the diploma is to really bring you into that industry role as much as you can. So the DAB, the Design Architecture and Built Environment School Faculty has strong industry links. I like to leverage those in as many subjects as we can by either taking students out into industry or bringing industry into the classroom.
Craig Barry (03:02):
So at least two of the subjects, one in each of the certificate and the diploma, involves site visits and are based on an active site and on a couple of subjects sprinkled throughout the certificate and the diploma. We all have guest industry expert speakers and even tutors that assist on some of the cost projects, who are all involved in industry. So, it’s basically giving you the tools to integrate into the industry as quickly as you can.
Craig Barry (03:33):
So because a lot of our students are working, or are studying and working, or doing lots of other things, we’ve designed the courses so students can come onto campus, transact. So get involved with the course, carry out as many of the assessments during class time, and then once they leave the classroom, they can put their working hat back on and not have to worry too much about classwork.
Craig Barry (04:01):
Now with the current delivery format, that’s still the case. All of the assessments are still run via online mode, and all the subjects are run in block mode. So if we take, for example, Construction Technology and Regulation, so this has been a very trying time, and that was actually run both an on-campus mode on the 13th and 14th of March. So that’s a Friday and a Saturday. Typically, that’s a Friday, Saturday 9:00 till 5:00. We’re on campus, and then you conduct course time, one assessment, and then by close of business on the Saturday, you’ve got half of the subject complete, one assessment done, and then you don’t have to think about the subject again until that 27 and 28 March. Now those two dates this year ended up being run via Zoom. The assessments were done online, and the major assessment was a group assignment, which everyone could do remotely or in smaller groups.
Craig Barry (05:02):
Now there’s a slide later on in the presentation that talks about some government funding, but both Construction Technology and Regulation and Construction Management will be run in spring to facilitate the requirements of the government funding, which we’ll look at. So effectively, that’s the Graduate Certificate, Construction Technology and Regulation, Construction Management, Construction Cost Planning and Control. That’s quite a very useful subject for students from both streams. And it teaches fundamentals in the most critical factor, other than safety, of course, in terms of cost planning. And then also introduces you to very relevant software, so you can walk away from that subject and have a whole new skill set at your disposal.
Craig Barry (05:51):
Project Risk, Procurement and Quality Management. Now, even before Covid, there was an online time component tutorial in that. So, that is the graduate certificate. And as I’ve said, that can be achieved in the back half of this year due to the government funding. So, if you want to progress, the Graduate Diploma consists of two autumn and two spring subjects, and one of the autumns is an elective.
Craig Barry (06:20):
And the final subject, the Integrated Project Delivery, that brings all of the content from the previous subjects together. And really, it’s more of a workshop type subject where students are split into groups and prepare tender submissions for a real-life project that hopefully we can get you on. And then there’s critique. So we take you through the whole submission tender evaluation, and then the next stage in terms of construction management plans and so on.
Craig Barry (06:52):
Now, further information can be obtained via the UTS website, which I’ve got links to at the end. But effectively, the eight subjects really do underpin a wide variety of the skillset that you need, if you’re looking to get into that construction management role. With the diploma, there’s a lot more emphasis on the professional side of things with Communications, HR, and Stakeholders, and then you do Construction Contracts. So your Construction Contract Course in terms of being able to discern between risks. Procurement risks and construction risks as part of the contract conditions and so on.
Craig Barry (07:35):
So in terms of eligibility, in summary, if you have a bachelor’s degree and one year’s relevant work experience that satisfies one stream of entry. Now that degree, the easy tick for that is to be a UTS recognized degree. However, a lot of the students that have enrolled in the course have come from different backgrounds, and each submission is basically individually assessed. And ultimately, what we’re trying to achieve here is to ensure that a student that enrolls isn’t set up for failure and that they’ve got a minimum level of, I suppose, proficiency, to be able to obtain success by undertaking the course.
Craig Barry (08:17):
So, if we look at their bachelor’s degree with one year’s relevant work experience, and again, that’s individually assessed based on the merits of each application. Or, if you don’t have a degree, a minimum of five years relevant work experience is also a nice, easy tick mark to enroll into the course. But as I say, each submission individually assessed by me, and I just make sure that you’re set up for success.
Craig Barry (08:45):
Now, this is very relevant in terms of the COVID-19 situation. So essentially, the government is trying to get everyone busy with learning and to do that, they’ve subsidized particular certificates, graduate certificates. And effectively, that means the graduate certificate can be undertaken for a much-reduced amount. And effectively close of business 2020, you can obtain that graduate certificate. And we’ve restructured the course so two subjects that normally run in autumn will run again in autumn next year will be available online in the back half of this year.
Craig Barry (09:32):
So, in summary, Graduate Certificate available all online. And if you enroll, you can have that qualification close of business, 2020. Now, given the fast-moving environment, at the moment, and online structure and timing, the course details are still being finalized. But you can register your interest there or send any queries to that dab.communication email address.
Luke Chess (10:00):
Just one last thing on that, Craig, sorry, it’s Luke here who normally just sits at the back and answers the chat questions. We should just note that the higher education certificate scheme only applies for domestic students, not international students.
Craig Barry (10:13):
Thank you very much. Okay. Now a lot of students that I meet at the conventional postgraduate nights are generally trying to decide what course is right for them, and so on, and might not necessarily have the right qualifications that enable them to enroll into the Masters of Project Management. But effectively there is generally an appetite for further study beyond the certificate diploma. So, the way the DAB Faculty works, graduates of the diploma can undertake the Masters of Project Management with an additional four subjects. Now it’s not any four. It needs to be an appropriate elective. So there’s sub-majors in the masters. So, in any case, just appreciate that it can give you a springboard and take some time off a Masters of Project Management Course, but you just need to make sure that the subjects you choose are appropriate.
Craig Barry (11:15):
So, how that works in practice is students will come to me if they’re enrolled and express an interest in the particular topic that they’ll look at in terms of electives. So then what we do is check with the course director for the Masters of Project Management, and just make sure that everyone’s satisfied in terms of the elective type and the interest of the student.
Craig Barry (11:37):
Now, the benefits of this is that you can get that entry level via the certificate into the diploma, and then walk away if you proceed with the masters with an accreditation by the PMI and the Australian Student Project Management. Now the certificate and the diploma are currently up for accreditation review by the Chartered Institute of Building. So, that is underway. However, if you do have an appetite for further study, the masters does give you that option.
Craig Barry (12:07):
I’ve just seen a raised hand there, and I’m going, nope, the hand is gone. Okay, I’ll move on. So if these courses are of interest, they are the links. If you wish to enroll, there’s an online form. There’s also more information at those websites. And look, that’s over to you. This is generally the more enjoyable part of the evening I get to learn about where students have come from and what they’re trying to achieve. And so I’ll open the floor up to you as participants. If you’ve got any questions, either by the Q & A function-
Luke Chess (12:43):
Hello, Luke, again, given the small number of attendees as well. If you wanted to put your hand up, we’d be happy to unmute you, and you can ask your question over the mic if that’s easier. There are only five attendees. So it’s a fairly small and casual meeting.
Craig Barry (13:01):
Very manageable. Any questions from anyone? Okay.
Luke Chess (13:06):
Well folks at the moment, that’s a very short information session. I do hope that you’ve managed to get the information that you require out of it. We are booked and scheduled to continue for another half an hour and are happy to stay if there are any questions. So, we’ll wait around for just another couple of minutes, but if there are no further questions, do feel free to leave, and we do hope that we get to see you studying at UTS.
Luke Chess (13:29):
Okay, well, thank you, Craig, for your time and thank you to the people who have attended for your time, as well. We do hope to see you at UTS. We’re available anytime to answer further questions. Email address for general questions is dab.communication@uts.edu.au. And once again, and most genuinely, we do hope to see you studying at UTS.
Luke Chess (13:53):
Craig, given there no more questions, I think I’ll end the session. Okay, with you?
Craig Barry (13:57):
Thanks very much, Luke. Appreciate it. Thanks, everyone.
Luke Chess (14:00):
Right. Okay. Thank you.